


Cold Deck

by arthursarse



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Cardverse, Human Names Used, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-02
Updated: 2014-06-10
Packaged: 2017-11-27 21:46:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/666831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arthursarse/pseuds/arthursarse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[The rating on this fic starts low and will go up with time.] "Matthew's life was a pile of ash, a million grey slivers under the wreckage that was his childhood home. The flakes fluttered in the wind and made his eyes burn." With nowhere else to turn, Matthew accepted an invitation to live with his brother, the king of the Country of Spades, after being apart from him for eleven years. But while Matthew struggles to readjust with the knowledge of his brother's unimaginable success, a stranger will arrive to remind him that the deck is not always stacked cold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - Forgotten Childhood

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is mainly for those who enjoy omegaverse and is written with the knowledge that it's readers have some sort of grasp on the subject. For those who don't, it is important to know that every writer describes it differently. This story will explain it more as time goes on, but the biggest thing a reader needs to know is that there are three types of people: alphas, omegas, and betas. Alphas are seen to be natural born leaders and mates. Omegas have heat cycles and are the people that give birth. Alphas are most affected by their scents when they are in heat. Finally, betas are somewhere in between and don't really go into heat. 
> 
> The rest is really up to the writer to decide. Any of those three categories have both men and women. For this reason, it is a good AU for mpreg fans. This fic will not have mpreg or sex for a few chapters.

The country Matthew grew up in was fairly small, but it had been thriving. It was a place that still relied on magic, myths, and royalty. It was kingdom ruled by alphas, where omegas were meant to be cherished and protected. Matthew’s home was a land where fairy tales came alive for the first time, a place that can only still be found in dreams. It was not perfect, but it was all the home the boy had ever known. It was the beautiful, peaceful Country of Spades. 

Or Matthew had thought it peaceful, but that was before his twin brother was taken away from him. 

He and his brother Alfred were both young; they had barely started school. He could remember that his brother’s blond hair had grown in slightly darker than his own and was kept shorter. He could still see the bright blue eyes his brother had, which hadn’t matched Matthew’s own violet eyes. Finally, Matthew could remember how inseparable they were. Alfred might have been brave and outgoing - even among strangers - but only if he had Matthew nearby. They spent every waking moment together. Their parents had tried separating the boys to different bedrooms, but each morning they awoke to find Alfred curled up at Matthew’s side. Alfred was always more than a brother to Matthew; he was his best, and only, friend. 

Matthew could no longer remember some of the small details from when his family first got the news. He was playing in the front yard with Alfred. It was sunny. Matthew’s favorite stuffed bear was the evil beast that Alfred fought with a sword he made by tying sticks together. Matthew couldn’t remember what his own role was, but he could guess that he was either a wizard or the baby brother who needed rescuing. Alfred always chose Matthew’s role. Alfred jumped and made a move to slay the menacing beast with a grin, but (purposely) missed at the last second. It was a dramatic moment that could be life or death for the young hero. Matthew gasped.

They were too into their game to notice the man walking up to them and they did not address him until he stepped in between Alfred and the bear. The two brothers looked up, taking in the sight of a young man dressed in the royal blues of their country. The colors made his brown satchel look dull. 

“I am a messenger from the palace,” he stated with his left hand griping the bag, “Are either of you the young master Alfred?” Clueless, the boys turned to one another to have a silent conversation. Matthew nodded his head first.

“I’m Alfred,” the braver of the two boys said. The man’s face lit up with a smile. He gave them a low bow at the waist. 

“It is an honor to meet you, Alfred. I hope this message is received with your good blessings. Is your father home?” Both boys quickly lifted their index fingers in the direction of the front door. The man chuckled and left them to find the head of the household. Matthew couldn’t remember what he and Alfred did while the messenger talked to their father. His bear was in his arms. Alfred looked confused. He remembered wondering why the messenger had addressed his brother, but not him. After what must have been several minutes, their father opened the front door and called Alfred to his office. 

Matthew had been worried at first. Alfred had always been a wild child and only entered his father’s office when he was in trouble. When those times came around, Alfred could be inside their father’s office for what felt like hours and always came out angry with tears in the corner of his eyes. The door to their father’s office appeared to the two small boys as a huge wooden gateway that lead to the worst monster they knew: disappointment. But when Matthew gave his brother a silent pleading look in question of what he had done; Alfred appeared clueless. Hesitant, Alfred followed his father inside. Matthew couldn’t remember trying to follow them, but he knew he was safely inside when his mother told him not to worry. 

“Alfred is not in trouble this time,” she soothed as she gently ran her hand over his back, “This is wonderful news. We should all be celebrating.” Matthew would come to disbelieve her. 

The messenger had come with bittersweet news. The child in line for the throne had suddenly perished, leaving behind another to whom he was betrothed. It had sent the whole castle into a panic because when an heir is not conceived, it was not blood that chose the next king, but a mark on the skin that appeared as the previous died. The queen was just as easily discovered with their own special mark. Matthew hadn’t thought the magic to be very particular when it was first explained to him. It chose both men and woman of different ages and when a child was born then it too was born with a mark. It wouldn’t be until Matthew was older that he was told that every king of Spades was an alpha, and that their queen was the omega they were fated to bond with. It added to the magic of selection.

There were people who faked the mark and tried to steal the crown, but those who worked directly under the king did their best to be quick in their discovery of fraud. Fake markings often didn’t look right or it was found that they could be removed easily in the bath. If nothing else, the bond between the queen and the fake king wouldn’t work as well as it should have. However, it had become common for the castle not to announce the death of a king until the next had been discovered. Unbeknown to Matthew, Alfred stood at his father’s desk with an unbutton shirt while the messenger carefully examined the black markings on his chest. 

The last thing Matthew really remembered was the look on his brother’s face as he was pulled into the royal carriage to be taken away. Reality hadn’t set in yet, and the blond boy he had called brother was still grinning from ear to ear.

“I’m going to be king,” Alfred yelled, “And keep you safe!”

It would be days before Matthew would ask his mother when he could see Alfred again and discover that he couldn’t. The news left him in a miserable state where he cried at random and kept his parents awake at night. He couldn’t stand to sleep alone. He ate less. He was only a child, but he knew he had just been going through the motions of daily life, waiting for the day his best friend would come home.

Alfred didn’t come home and he never wrote. The few letters his parents received came from his mentor and only spoke about his progress. 

“Alfred is doing well in mathematics and science,” his mother would say one day. 

“It says your brother hasn’t gotten along much with the future queen,” she would laugh the next. 

At first Matthew felt betrayed and forgotten by his whole family. Not only had his brother failed to so much as write to him, but once Alfred was labeled as the future king of his Spades, his own achievements were ignored by their parents. Nothing he did could ever measure up to the crown that rested on his brother’s head. 

And yet, as Matthew grew he knew it was not in him to remain upset. His brother hadn’t chosen to be king. Alfred’s last words to him had been a wish for his safety. Matthew grew up and tried to move on. He did well in his studies with his private mentor, worked at a small bakery in the summertime, and he eventually came to discover his own reproductive status that would decide his role in life.

Matthew became extremely grateful for the short, crumpled letters written by the king’s mentor, because even if Matthew’s life wasn’t what he had hoped for when he was small, at least he could pull open a piece of paper that promised him one very important thing. 

"Alfred is healthy and safe.”


	2. All in

The wheels of the carriage rhythmically clicked against the damp bricks of the street. Matthew’s gaze remained glazed over, watching the blur of greenery pass by. He enjoyed the sound. It kept him from thinking. He pictured Alfred and – click. Click. Click. He smelled smoke and – click. Click. Click. The carriage kept moving.  


At least his parents wouldn’t be able to sit around and wait for him to have children anymore. 

Click. Click. Click. Matthew shook his head. He needed to find the silver lining like he used to. He had inherited his mother’s optimism after all. He would get to see his brother for the first time in eleven years. They had a chance at being a family again. That thought was enough to force a small smile on the young man’s face. Alfred must have cared for him in some respect or he wouldn’t have offered Matthew the chance to move into the castle.

The castle could be another silver lining. He would never grow hungry or cold. He could have opportunities to study things that others never got the chance to learn. It wouldn’t take him long to readjust. He would be protected, like he was supposed to be.

That last thought put a sour taste in his mouth. Click. Click. Click. Matthew repeated the thoughts. Click. Click. Click. This move was a blessing. Click. Click. Click. This move was supposed to be a blessing.

Forests turned to farms which turned into small towns. The rain started up again. Matthew had to pull his coat closer to his chest to keep out the cold. He hadn’t any other clothing and he wasn’t dressed to handle the chill that came with rain. The wind made the old wood of his carriage creak with age. It reminded him of the rickety schoolhouse he and Alfred had once attended. 

A sudden knock made the blond jump. A gloved hand pressed against the glass that separated him from the driver. It was the signal he had asked for. Matthew turned and stared at the busy street that surrounded him. Even with the rain, people bustled up and down the street cloaked in royal blues that kept the weather out. Shops lined the streets; their windows fogged over. Children weaved in between adults with adventurous smiles on their faces. 

Matthew had never been to the capital before. The carriage made a slow turn around the circle that made up the town square. A scraggly mutt crossed the street, his fur damp and sticking to his skin. Matthew sympathized with the animal. He had to sit back and take a deep breath to fight the nervousness that teased his stomach. The castle was just passed the city square, wasn’t it? Or was it after the bridge? Why didn’t he pay more attention to his lessons?

“Because what use does an omega have for an education?” A smug voice in his head answered, but he tried to crush it. The thought had stung. Matthew always tried to hide his reproductive status. Being an omega meant following a set of rules that Matthew had no interest in. There was different etiquette to being an omega. They were supposed to be protected and were often seen as weak. The world taught omegas that their main purpose in life was to bare their mate’s young, but Matthew was more than a sexual label. He had no mate and wasn’t looking for one. 

His driver distracted him with a second knock. This was it. With shaking hands Matthew pulled back the small curtains in front of him so he could try and see what was ahead. His driver’s back took up most of the view, his clothes layered heavily as his only protection from the rain. The horses marched in front with their heads bouncing after each step. In a few seconds the carriage had stopped moving. Passed the horse’s heads Matthew eyes widened at the sight of silver gates opening. The driver flicked the reins and they moved inside. The castle appeared, making the clouds part and shine light against the white walls. It was like a fairy tale. 

“Wait a minute,” Matthew mumbled. He ran a loose fist over his eyes and gave his head a quick shake. When he opened his eyes, the drizzling rain had returned. The gray clouds hung overhead and made everything look a bit bleak. The sight made him smile, and he quickly reminded himself to not let his imagination run wild. The real world didn’t work like that. 

It was still a beautiful castle. Tall and elegant; it made Matthew’s old home look like a shack. Near the doors – where his carriage would come to a stop – the ground was painted with his country’s symbol, the blue spade. The doors to the castle were long and curved to a point near the top. One of the doors crept open, causing Matthew’s breath to catch. The driver’s feet hit the ground, but Matthew had the door to the carriage open before the driver could get there. The vehicle tilted when his foot hit the step leading down. With one hand gripping the wood of the carriage door, Matthew desperately searched the opening in the door. All too quickly, Matthew realized that the figure wasn’t his brother.  
A mop of messy blond hair stepped outside into the drizzling rain. Under his choppy bangs Matthew caught sight of famously large eyebrows that gave away his identity. The coat he wore showed off his status with expensive fabrics in the royal blue. The dress shirt underneath was bore a bow under the color. It wouldn’t be until later, when Matthew found himself closer, that he would see the matching blue vest and the small spade detailing in his outfit. The man was shorter than Matthew, but he was almost intimidating with the way he held himself. He stood at the top of the stairs, head held high and lips formed in a tight line. Matthew tried to remember everything his mentor had taught him for that very moment. 

Matthew’s body was tired from the trip, but he managed a smile and his feet carried him up the stairs to his fate. He bowed at the waist, and quickly rose before the other could notice his poor practice of the move.

“Your majesty,” Matthew greeted, “I am Alfred’s brother, Matthew. Thank you for offering to take me in at this time. It is a great relief, and an honor, to be staying here with you and my brother.” The speech felt stale, over practiced since he first received the invitation to live at the castle. However, this fact seemed to pass by Arthur, the future Queen of Spades, as his body seemed to relax slightly at the introduction. 

“Well, I am not queen yet,” Arthur replied eloquently, his lips attempting to twitch into a smile at the thought, "but I assure you that we are more than happy to accommodate you. I always thought it a shame you and your family didn’t live closer. Your parents should have had the chance to visit.” Matthew’s gaze fell to his feet, causing a sting of worry to arise in Arthur.

“And my lord is quite excited to see you again! He hasn’t shut up about it,” the royal rambled, trying to fix the wound he had caused, “If Yao – oh, Yao is our Jack, you’ll meet him soon enough – If Yao hadn’t forcedly dragged Alfred into that meeting, he would have been here with me.” He was relieved when Matthew had raised his eyes at the end of the speech. He seemed more relaxed and in turn made Arthur feel more relaxed.

“Come now,” he continued, “I can send a servant to gather your things. There is no reason for us to catch cold from standing in the rain.” Again Matthew’s gaze fell, but this time his violet eyes landed on the carriage that had disposed of him. In front of them the carriage driver was just starting to snap the reins; his horses raised their heads and together they began to leave.

“I’m afraid this is all I have with me,” Matthew spoke, his voice just above a whisper. Arthur jumped at the sound; brows pulled together in a knot of worry that only grew at the sight of the small smile that graced the boy’s lip. It was shocking how he could appear so calm, happy even, when they both knew the real meaning behind his words. Matthew had nothing to bring. Not anymore. Arthur reached out to him, giving his shoulder a squeeze that caught his attention. However, when he opened his mouth nothing slipped out. He had never been good at expressing feelings, nor had he any idea to comfort a boy he had just met.

Luckily, he didn’t have to; the doors to the castle crashed open with a bang and suddenly Matthew couldn’t care what Arthur had to say.

Matthew wouldn’t have been able to hear it over the sound of his brother’s laugh anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "He had no mate and wasn’t looking for one." - Yeah, but, its one of my fics so yeah...you go ahead and try to keep thinking that way. 
> 
> Sorry if this seems like it is dragging. I wanted to take time to get into Matthew's head and introduce Arthur. The romance is coming, I promise, I promise!


	3. Court Cards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a lot USUK in this chapter and I apologize to anyone who is not a fan. There will also be a lot of them next chapter, but after this chapter it will have a Franada main focus. 
> 
> Thanks for waiting! So glad to be home for summer!

There are moments in every person’s life that they mentally rehearse over and over again. They may decide on every detail of their outfit, the location of the event, and what they would like to say. They can spend hours lying in bed wondering what it would be like, but the minute the situation arises everything they wanted falls apart.

This was one of those times.

Matthew stood at the doorway to the palace in the capital, starring at his brother for the first time in eleven years. For eleven years he had this image of his brother, a small boy with bright blue eyes, and now he was face to face with a grown man. Yet Alfred still wore that childish expression, a tooth filled grin and curious eyes. His hair still had that stubborn cowlick that their mother used to brush down with her ageing hand. So different, so similar, a mere mirage of what was once an innocent kid at play. The king wrapped an arm around his future queen and examined his brother over the top of his spectacles.

“Whoa Mattie, is that really you‽ You look so different, but not really, but you know what I mean--” The man in question was thankful for the royal’s ramblings. Matthew had no idea what to say. No amount of practice could prepare him for this reunion. There was no formal introduction as there had been with Arthur. Some things never change, and Alfred still appeared to be the more talkative of the twins. Alfred was dressed similarly to Arthur, in the royal blues of the kingdom. His long blue coat matched the vest and tie he wore. It would have been elegant if Alfred had held still long enough for Mattie to get a good look. “—And I’m so glad you could make it in time for the wedding!”

“The wedding,” Matthew repeated, lowering his voice, “I had almost forgotten.” Arthur, who had busied himself trying to untangle Alfred’s arm from around his waist, decided it was time to step up.

“We know it is sudden, so if you need more time…we won’t force you to go. Under the circumstances you should have more time to adjust.” The king visibly pouted at the idea, but Matthew solved the issue with a shake of his head.

“I look forward to it.” The couple in front of him smiled. They were clearly excited for the big event. The king’s blue eyes flashed for a quick look at green. Matthew didn’t miss the slight blush that formed over Arthur’s cheeks. Most royals didn’t have a chance to fall in love before they were married and mated, but it seemed that his brother had fared well with his soon-to-be lover and that made Matthew feel a pang of happiness. Alfred was healthy, safe, and in love.

The three men moved inside out of the rain, talking lightly about the wedding. They danced around any discussion of Matthew’s history. It was too soon to go over those matters. The wedding was traditionally planned around the queen’s heat cycle so that Arthur would go into heat shortly after the last of the guests would leave. They had demanded a summer affair, which caused them to rush the planning. Soon enough the guest bedrooms would be filling with the royalty from other kingdoms as well as noblemen from the farther reaches of the country. If he had been given the choice, Arthur would have had a much smaller affair, but Alfred was ecstatic to have the whole kingdom partying. 

Matthew’s eyes scanned each room they walked through. The castle was decorated elegantly, with white marble floors and royal blue carpets. Crystals hung from the ceiling, bouncing light off from the tall windows. Paintings lined the hallways of people who had long disappeared. Arthur mumbled something to Alfred about letting the poor boy rest so the king regretfully led them a bedroom in the west wing.

“This will be your room,” Arthur announced, “It will have everything you should need…oh, but we will be sure to order you more clothes right away, won’t we my lord?” Alfred looked confused.

“But, why would he need—“ Arthur cut off the alpha with an elbow to the stomach, mumbling something about being an idiot. The king winced, but it wasn’t enough to really hurt him, his smile never left his face. The royals would have to have a long talk later.

“We’ll be sure to send someone to take your measurements,” Arthur continued, “So go on and settle in, we’ll take good care of you here.” Arthur gave the shy twin a small smile. Perhaps it was the royal's omega instincts that told him to protect the twin, but Arthur had already decided that he liked the boy and wanted to keep him in comfort. 

"If you need anything," Arthur added, "Please don't be afraid to seek my lord and I out."

"Of course, thank you." It turned out that the future queen was not willing to let that long lecture wait. Matthew watched as his brother was pulled away by the ear and disappeared around the corner of the hallway. I’m never going to get a word in with those two, he thought, finding himself smile. 

At least one thing worked out as planned. Matthew pulled out the bottle of oil from his pocket. It was filled with a scent meant to mask his omega status from the surrounding people. He had been getting the illegal substance from his old school mentor ever since he hit puberty. It protected Matthew from the weary eyes of alphas who would only view him as an unmated omega, and it allowed him to work and study as only betas and alphas could. To the royals, he most likely came off as beta. They hadn't asked about when he would need to be moved to a nesting room or given him extra protection. However, the subject could not be avoided forever. The oil only hid away his scent, but his heat would eventually come and - if he hadn't told his new family by then - they would discover his little secret.

New family, the concept seemed so surreal. How long ago was Matthew sitting in a small home, eating dinner with their mother and father? Any attempt Matthew had made to believe his situation fell apart as he pushed open the wooden doors to his new room. The single room was larger than his old house. Being upstairs, he got a beautiful view from the windows into the royal garden. He had his own sitting area decorated with flowers in vases. There was a wardrobe waiting to be filled, mirrors, a small bookshelf, an attached bath, and the most comfortable bed Matthew would ever lay on. The omega didn't want to get the white and blue sheets dirty with his old peasant clothes, but the feel was too amazing. He kicked off his worn shoes and laid across the new bed. It wasn't until then that Matthew realized how cold the rain had made him. Thoughts flooded his head. Did Alfred like him? He knew they would be different, but he hadn't expected what he had seen that day. 

While his eyes traced the intricate blue patterns on the ceiling, Matthew's own insignificance struck him. He felt so small in that huge bed, in a huge room, in a huge castle that was built in the largest town in the kingdom. Surely there were many more people who deserved the luxury given to him. Someone with a different look, with a different accent, and a different family. People spoke of fate, but there was no way, so Matthew thought, that he played any large role in the world. This room, this life, should be reserved for someone better than him.

He was blessed to be there, but he had felt blessed to be living in the small house where he grew up. Matthew fell asleep, wishing for the answers as to why things happen, wishing he knew why his parents had to die and why that made everything change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else ready for him to meet Francis? Cause I sure am!
> 
> PS: I will be trying to make Alfred and Arthur more badass in the future so don't be fooled by their cutesy appearance here.


	4. Action Card

Within a week, Matthew had once again lost contact with his brother, but it was not without good reason nor was it a permanent adjustment. The king had to juggle his usual busy schedule while also handling his future wife’s wedding demands and Yao’s financial worries. Empty bedrooms that once lined Matthew’s hall begun filling up one by one. The further the guest had traveled, the longer they planned to stay in the life of luxury. 

Matthew had heard that the royals from The Kingdom of the Green Clubs were the first to arrive, but he had yet to run into them yet. The Beloved Queen of Hearts, along with his servants, was the second royal group to arrive. Queen Kiku stated that his king had a last minute duty to attend to and with much regret, would not be arriving until the day of the wedding. The queen was a soft spoken, gentle creature who was older and wiser than his appearance suggested. He had been kind enough to make small talk with Matthew over their first meeting in the royal hall during dinner, but hadn’t expanded their relationship any further than that. Lords and Ladies who had lived far off within The Kingdom of Spades arrived in smaller groups to rest before the event. Arthur greeted each of them as he had Matthew, making sure they had everything they needed while under his roof. It was impressive, considering how Arthur had royal duties of his own and was spending every free moment flushing out wedding details. Everything from the stitching on the napkins to the fashion had to be decided by the future queen. 

Matthew only knew these things because Arthur couldn’t stop venting about it while the queen antagonized over the final details of Matthew’s formal attire. The peasant stood straight, arms aching from being stretched out too long while the tailor finished a few final things. This had not become a strange occurrence, as Arthur had kept his promise of buying him all new clothes. He enjoyed the time he spent with the queen. Arthur wasn’t always good with words, but he now felt comfortable speaking his mind around the other blond. Still, Matthew had not brought himself to toss out the clothes he had worn when he arrived. The scraps of cloth were all he had left from his old life. While Matthew was dotted on, the future queen sat behind the elderly tailor, scratching down notes on a small round side table. 

“Yao is furiously running through our accounts to make sure we don’t spend a penny over budget,” Arthur vented.

“Uh-huh,” the other blond replied half-heartedly.

“I wish my lord wasn’t so set on constantly spending on our military, it makes the other kingdoms anxious and we could use the extra money to relax more.”

“But your strength is what Spades is known for,” Matthew suggested.

“You’re right, maybe I should try to spend less on linens.” The tailor chuckled under his breath. Even the queen was prone to tuning others out. Matthew sighed, thanking the tailor as he finished up the work. Being ignored was nothing Matthew wasn’t used to. His parents had done it since his brother became heir to the throne. At least the outfit looked good. Matthew admired the work in the full length mirror that stood before him. A fitted white vest tightened up a loose, long sleeve blue shirt that disappeared under high wasted blue slacks. The vest had one pocket on the left breast. His boots had thick heels, which helped show off his lean build while making him appear taller. Tips of long fingers brushed over the pearl buttons on the vest. He was about to comment that the style was too flashy for his tastes, and how wearing heels made him feel more like an omega, but the thought was cut short by a knock on the door. Arthur called a servant girl in, giving the tailor a chance to escape the banter.

“My lord, more of your guests have arrived at the gates.” 

“Do we know who?”

“Their carriages are marked with the symbol of diamonds.” Arthur scoffed, turning away from her.

“I assure you, they’re no guests of mine,” the future queen spat, forgetting his notes to tap his fingers on the table, “but we can’t be discourteous. I will see to them swiftly.” The royal stood, rolling up his notes for later use.

“My lord doesn’t sound pleased with this arrival,” Matthew said, fingers still playing with the top button on his vest, “Would you like me to join you?”

“Oh no,” Arthur assured, “These are the last fools you want to meet face-to-face. It is bad enough I’m being made to allow them to tarnish my celebration, I won’t have them harassing you as well.” On his way out, Arthur turned back to Matthew once again.

“And you look,” he paused, trying to find the compliments necessary, “…very handsome, Matthew. If the tailor asks, tell him I won’t change a thing.” The blond in question turned back to the mirror, but found his eyes locked with the servant’s still standing behind him. He waited until the door had shut behind the future queen to speak his mind.

“Are other royals really so awful?” Her response was well rehearsed.

“No kingdom is so lucky as ours. I am a humble servant to the strongest monarchs in the four kingdoms, and by the Goddesses, I am blessed.” 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days came and went by slowly. The rain had given way to sun filled days with a cooling breeze. Most of the royals ate within their own chambers, coming out only to mingle with other kings and queens. Alphas spent their free time playing games of strength and competition in the gardens while their omegas watched closely. They all feasted on ripened fruits and listened to songs of fancy. They spat petty insults whenever they could cover it up behind a clever compliment and made bets on the queen-to-be’s wedding night activities. 

Matthew was not a part of this group. Matthew was allowed to roam through the endless halls of his brother’s castle while the royals celebrated. He studied the artwork that hung upon the walls and the hidden paths in the brick. The monster in his head kept him going, reminding him that once he little secret was discovered, he would not be allowed such freedom as an omega. With his mentor no longer in the picture, Matthew was alone in his studies. 

However, like everything else in the omega’s life, it wouldn’t last. These spare moments would give way to the long awaited moment where dozens of people of high ranks met in the great hall to be witness to the royal wedding and coronation. Matthew was among the large crowd. Instructed by Yao to sit in the front row near where his brother stood, the blond found himself surrounded by strangers. To his left was The King of Clubs himself, who towered over Matthew where they sat. The thought alone was enough to make him tug at the ends of his sleeves nervously. 

With no desire to glance at the monarch to his right, Matthew found himself staring at his brother, who stood proudly in front of the crowd. The king wore mostly white, but it was the regal blue cape that would catch the crowd’s eyes. Lined in fur, the cloak had a decorative pattern made up of sapphires which grew in size as it neared the bottom. It brought out the alpha’s broad shoulders while still showing off his height, posture, and status. Beneath the cape Matthew caught a glimpse of a golden pocket watch in the shape of a spade, clasped tightly in Alfred’s gloved hand. The omega had to wonder how often his brother had glanced at the time, counting down the seconds to when Arthur would arrive.  
The blue eyed alpha caught Matthew’s line of sight. He was nervous. No one could see it, but Matthew just knew his brother was sweating up there. His hair, which had been slicked back, pushed out that old cowlick once again. The silliness of it made the omega grin, and Alfred gave his brilliant smile in return. 

It would have been a nice moment between brothers, if Alfred had not suddenly decided to approach Mattie, take his hand, and drag him upfront.

“What are you doing,” Matthew pleaded, looking over his shoulder at the large crowd. There were still a few minutes left, so most everyone was talking among themselves, much to the omega’s relief. 

“What do you mean,” Alfred asked with a laugh, “I need my best man up here with me!”

“Best man?!”

“Of course! Who better than my older brother?” At first, Matthew wanted to protest, but the idea washed over him. His brother wanted him to stand by his side during one of the most important times of his life. With eleven years apart, his brother – the king – chose him to be his best man. Sure, it wasn’t well planned, but it still meant something to Matthew. The omega reached up and placed a hand on his pouting brother’s shoulder.

“Tsk…okay, okay, I’ll be your best man.” Alfred perked up right away. The older brother moved to stand in position as music began filling the hall with a sweet, calm melody. The crowd quieted itself down knowing what was about to begin. With one last look to his brother, Alfred turned towards the tall doors at the back of the room.

But even as the doors opened to reveal blue rose petals falling through gleaming sunshine, there was still a one pair of eyes that would not turn away from Matthew. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matthew laughed, covering his ears while another bottle popped open by his head. The drink sizzled as the curly haired woman next to him refilled his glass. Beautiful omegas and betas dressed in regal blues and silver bells danced in front of the long table where the blond sat near the bride and groom. Although the reception had started out elegant enough, it would grow less so as the night wore on. The guest would wait until after presenting themselves – and their gifts – to the newlyweds before drinking too much. Their laughter could often be heard even over the live music. Still, those who danced would occasionally slip in during a slower song as an excuse to hold another, so they couldn’t all be plastered.   
The scene was praise worthy. With the sun having set, no more light came in from the windows. Candles hung from the elevated ceiling, making them appear like in-door stars. The long tables, which lined the outside of the dance floor, were decorated in branches and flora, which surrounded more candles to dimly lit the room. There were small spade details everywhere one could look, including the food. Blue had been kept down to a minimum, but still showed up in the center pieces and linens. Even the stitching on the napkins was perfect. 

The dancers finished their piece to a round of applause before running off the dance floor. The music changed again in their absence to a slower song. Matthew watched as, two-by-two, couples made their way to the center. Alfred had somehow managed to get Arthur to put down his glass long enough for a waltz. It brought out a strange feeling, as if Matthew was sinking slowly and couldn’t breathe. Not drowning. No, drowning involves a slow sleep that creeps up on its victims. This was a burning sensation that made his eyes sting and his chest ache, as if he was trapped in a house fire. He knew the feeling well. Most omegas Matthew’s age were bonded by now. Certainly, the young man didn’t want to be trapped in his status, but he also didn’t love the thought of ending up alone. 

These were the thoughts playing through Matthew’s head when he noticed a stranger walking up to his table. The man, who looked slightly older, was certainly handsome. Matthew swallowed. He tried to think of what to say to the man. Was he coming over to ask for a dance? What if he wanted to talk? What would Matthew say to him? How should he address him? The man got closer, until Matthew could smell his scent from across the table.

“May I have this dance?” Words were lost upon the omega. He starred up at the man until the woman to his right – the one the stranger had been addressing – politely agreed and moved around the table to take him away. Violet eyes landed on his own lap. “Of course,” Matthew thought, “of course I would get my hopes up over nothing.” 

“He chose the wrong dance partner, didn’t he?” A voice from behind asked. Matthew’s head whipped around, hands clutching the edge of the table. Behind his left shoulder stood another man, an alpha by his scent, dressed in golden silks which glimmered from the candle light.

It was probably the most god-awful flashy outfit Matthew had ever laid eyes on. And yet, as Matthew’s eyes scanned upward he was greeted with the sight of a gorgeous man. His blond wavy hair fell just above his shoulders, but it was pulled back in a ponytail for the event. He had deep blue eyes and a small amount of scruff on his chin. In his left hand, the alpha slowly twirled a yellow rose with a short stem between his thumb and forefinger. His scent moved in again, surrounding Matthew in a crisp fog. It was like freshly cut grass in after rain or a raspberry tart. The stranger glanced from the rose back to Matthew and smirked when he saw the omega biting down on his bottom lip. The alpha bent down at the waist and extended the rose to him with an open palm.

“May I have this dance?” Matthew nodded his head a couple of times before he caught himself.

“I…I don’t have any lessons,” he tucked his hair behind his ear, and kept his eyes on the floor, “I would step all over your feet, my lord.” The alpha chuckled.

“Well you certainly won’t learn by sitting here,” he encouraged, “let me teach you.” A small smile crossed Matthew’s lips. He figured that he had nothing to lose.

“Okay…but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The alpha moved to slip the rose into the breast pocket of Matthew’s vest.

“Of course, mon mignon.” Matthew took the strangers hand and allowed him to lead him around the table to the dance floor. The omega was glad he had watched enough dances to know how to hold himself. His right hand fit in the other’s gloved hand. One hand slid around Matthew’s waist to his lower back while his own left hand landed on the other man’s shoulders. The alpha mouthed the countdown and brought them to their first steps. They disappeared in the crowd of dancing couples, but hadn’t gotten through one full turn before Matthew started asking questions. 

“I’m afraid I didn’t catch my lord’s name,” he ventured, eyes slipping down to their feet. The alpha hooked his index finger under Matthew’s chin, tilting his eyes up before replacing his hand where it belonged against the omega’s lower back. 

“I am Francis Bonnefoy,” he announced. Matthew thought through his lessons, glancing at the diamond embroidered in his long coat. Whispering the name under his breath, he remembered.

Matthew exclaimed, “The King of Diamonds‽” Having lost focus, he stepped on Francis’ foot for the first time. In doing so, his footing slipped and he fell to the side, but the monarch was too well practiced to let him land. A hand caught Matthew’s side, lifting him back up as if the whole move was planned, if not ridiculous looking. Francis laughed and shook his head. 

“Relax. Shouldn’t the king be allowed to dance with whomever he pleases?” They began moving once again, spinning in a simple pattern. Matthew looked around the room.

“But shouldn’t you be in the company of your queen?”

“Ah, Lilly is the most breath-taking rose in the garden of Diamonds, but I am her husband in title only. We agreed to keep her vow pure as she wished.” All at once, the leaders of the room released their partners and lifted their arms to allow their dance partners to spin under it. Matthew followed suit, and was greeted with Francis’ curiosity upon returning. 

“And what is your title?”

“No titles, just Matthew.”

“But they say you are brother to The King of Spades.”

“I am.”

“Then you will have a title soon, I assure you.” Matthew pondered this fact. It was possible, as few come to live in such luxury without one and few would want their peasant families tarnishing a royal name, but it wasn’t something Matthew had ever pictured happening. 

“You know,” the alpha continued, “I don’t usually find myself attracted to betas…but when I saw you during the ceremony, I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” A flustered Matthew stepped on his foot again, but Francis pretended not to notice. He was nervous, wondering if he should have put more of his cover-up cologne after the ceremony. 

“My lord…”

“Please,” he interrupted, “call me Francis.” They spun again, but the song was nearing its end.

“…Francis, you’re too kind…” The music stopped, but that wasn’t why the two blonds had frozen. 

A long silver line drew itself between them horizontally. If either moved too much, breathed too hard, it would have brushed their chests. Ever so slowly, they turned their heads to face the horror awaiting them.

Arthur, the new queen of The Kingdom of Spades, stood to Matthew’s left. The silver was a sword, which he moved from between their chests to pressing the blade near Francis’ throat. 

“Francis,” the queen cautioned with a grin, “What are you doing with my brother-in-law?”

“Dancing,” the king spat back, “Not that you’ve ever performed one elegantly. But Mathieu here, he’s a real natural at the art.” By now, other couples had noticed the confrontation and had stopped moving. A crowd formed around the trio, but music played on. Matthew noticed the sound was getting faster. 

“Watch yourself, frog, you’re unarmed.” The blade pressed closer still, until Matthew could see where it moved with the beat in the king’s veins. The omega let him go, relieved to see him take two steps back. Arthur smirked. He moved the sword around, bringing it up to the king’s cheek to turn his body toward the royal omega. 

“Wouldn’t be so pretty with a piece of your face missing, would you?”

“Still prettier than you.” Angered by his remarks, the queen turned the blade and made a quick slice. It didn’t cut his skin, but removed the smallest patch of hair from the king’s jaw. Matthew was panicking on the sidelines. He looked around, frantic for anything that could stop this from getting worse, when a loud voice boomed overhead. The music was cut short. 

“Gentlemen! This is no way to celebrate a royal wedding!” The crowd pulled back, reveling Alfred, who walked towards them with open arms and a smile. He reached Arthur first. 

“Darling, you’re quarrels will end in a war if you are not careful,” the king took his queen’s wrist in in his own. “Stand down.” It was not a harsh command, but a stern one. It wasn’t easy to get an omega like Arthur to give in, but Alfred knew how to control him when necessary. With the exception of Matthew, everyone could feel the tension the alpha was putting off, but Matthew could sense that something was off about the people around him.

The queen’s grip loosened. Alfred took the sword and continued to the opposing king.

“Francis,” he exclaimed cheerfully, “Always the first to make trouble at a party.” An empty arm wrapped around the long-haired blond, leading him off, “I have something I’ve been meaning to show you, a new art piece from Hearts…” Francis turned to look over his shoulder, his eyes on Matthew until they could no long see one another. He tried to mouth something, but Matthew hadn’t quite caught what he was trying to say. 

The music began once again. People began talking, then moving to either dance or return to their seats. Matthew, who had been breathless from the sight of what had all happened, turned to Arthur, who appeared dazed.

“My queen,” Matthew began, “are you alright?” Arthur took a deep breath, fixed his posture and nodded.

“I’m quite alright, thank you. It’s,” he paused, “I know you wouldn’t understand, but it is very overwhelming.” He motioned for Matthew to follow, heading back towards their seats.

“What is?” 

“It is certain kind of feeling…one that omega’s feel when an alpha decides to be dominant. It is exhausting, nearly pathetic. I’m well trained against it, but Alfred is better trained than I.” The two men sat down once again. Arthur tipped his glass against his lips. 

“You really are lucky,” the queen continued when he was done sipping his wine, “that you will never have to feel such a thing.” Guilt flooded Matthew’s senses. The music didn’t cover up the sounds of those whispering new rumors around them. 

He gulped down a glass of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took forever. I haven't written in a year, but I didn't want to become that author who never finished a work. I promised you I'd get it. I made this extra long as a plea for forgiveness. I want to write this throughout the summer.
> 
> I listened to the Vitamin String Quartet throughout writing this. 
> 
> And I will explain why Alfred's tension did not affect Matthew in the next chapter.


	5. Spread Limit

The crickets chirping; the reflection in the fountain water; the feel of goose bumps forming down the back of his neck; Matthew immediately fell in love with the feeling of walking through the royal gardens at night. Inside, a few of the drunkest guests were still partying from the wedding, but the omega had stolen away after the bride and groom had suspiciously disappeared to their room*. He was in the flower section now, particularly, Matthew had found himself immersed in an area that was made up of several flower arches, which created a hall like affect. He had heard that the queen loved the garden, but he hadn’t expected it to be so ginormous. 

The blond reached up and felt the petals of fuchsia flowers brush his palm. Even in heels, he had to move on his toes to smell the sweet plant. It left a little pollen on his skin, making his nose twitch. The thought gave him an idea. He jogged back to the first arch, where he drew a line in the dirt with his foot. He tested the height of the flowers above him to see how easily he could brush the flowers with his fingertips. 

Feeling a rush of energy, Matthew ran. He ran down the arch way with his hands stretched above him, brushing against the flowers. Tiny golden specs followed him down the path, leaving a trail in his wake. His smile grew until his eye shut. He could feel the pollen coating his fingers and the burn of his knees from running too fast. It was childish, but freeing. When he neared the end, he slowed down to a jog before stopping. He turned to look back down the archway. Behind him, a shadow appeared.

“You continue to surprise me, Mathieu.” The omega in question jumped, covering his mouth with his hand, but the leftover pollen made him sneeze. 

“Santé,” Francis replied, stepping under the first arch.

Matthew shook his head, “You have to stop sneaking up on me, my lord.”

“I thought I told you to call me Francis,” the king stepped up to him, brushing his thumb across the omega’s pollen dusted nose. 

“Francis,” Matthew repeated, “What are you doing out here? How long have you been watching me?”

“I’ll tell you,” the alpha began, sauntering backwards down the path. He lifted his right hand to motion for Matthew to follow with his index finger. The omega obeyed. 

Francis continued, “I’ll tell you…if you can catch me.” And suddenly the man was off, running down the path. Caught off guard, Matthew froze at first, but then he yelled and followed after him. The king led him out of the arches, around the fountain, and through the roses, laughing the entire time. They chased each other through a maze of bushes until Matthew found an exit near the castle walls. To the left, he could see a servant door. To the right: a large weeping willow. He couldn’t see the alpha. Walking towards the right, the blond kept spinning around looking for any sign of the king. As he neared the base of the tree, he turned just in time to see the servant door open. Light spilled out from the building and he could see the see a shadow of a man standing there. It wasn’t Francis. 

Thinking quickly, the omega moved behind the tree, but found the space already occupied by a certain flirtatious blond. They bumped into one another and had to shuffle around to hide. They settled on a position where Matthew’s back was pressed up against the bark, with Francis facing him. 

A deep voice yelled from the doorway, “Whose out there?!” Francis was chuckling, but Matthew pleaded with him to be quiet by pressing his finger against his lips, even though he too was smiling. 

“Hello!?” Matthew looked around and settled on a plan. He reached up to the nearest branch and pulled himself up into the old tree. Francis watched him go, looking a little bit unhappy about the idea of getting himself dirty, but he took ahold of the hand that reached down to help pull him up. Below them, the guard walked cautiously to make sure the area was secure. A second guard stuck her head out of the door, and the first motioned for her to check the maze with him. 

Hidden in the tree, the men caught their breath. Matthew was leaned up against the base, his knees bent. Past his feet, Francis sat with his legs crossed. The tree was so close to the castle that the candles inside the windows lit their hiding spot. With time to kill, they began talking. 

They talked about how Arthur had begun fighting with Francis the first day they met. They talked about the games Alfred and Matthew played as children. Francis told him what life in diamonds was like and Matthew discussed his studies at length. They changed positions repeatedly, but ultimately ended up on the ground at the base of the tree once the guards had given up looking. Francis leaned his back up against it for support, while Matthew lay in the grass, using Francis’ folded up coat as a pillow. They continued talking long after the party had ended and the last few guests had managed to stumble back to their rooms. Above them, the sky was lightening in color and the stars began to disappear one by one. 

“You never explained how your parents died,” Francis said. Matthew ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh.  
“House fire,” he confided, “I wasn’t there…I left my house in the morning thinking everything would fine, but when I came back… there was nothing left, Francis. It was all ash.” 

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” the other responded. 

“It’s not your fault.” Neither knew what to say, so they let the silence settle in for a moment or two. The omega didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to ruin the fun night he had, so he pushed back the memories of the ash and the burn and held on to newfound joy. 

“Hey… you never told me why you were out here,” Matthew pointed out, “And I caught you.” 

Francis smirked, “You did, didn’t you?” The king moved from his spot, lying down on his side next to the omega. He leaned over his partner and pressed their foreheads together, using his other arm to hold himself up. 

“I just knew the violets would be lovely in the moonlight,” he confessed, “but they’re even prettier during the sunrise.” Matthew blinked, then realized the joke and chuckled.

“That’s so corny,” he said, turning his head away, “I nearly forgot I had purple eyes.”

“Violet,” Francis corrected, “A beautiful shade of violet.” The alpha nuzzled his neck with a happy sigh.

“You smell sweet,” he whispered. Matthew’s eyes grew wide, his smile dropped. When was the last time he put on the scent covering perfume? It was before the wedding ceremony even begun. With a million curse words running through his head, Matthew made a move to get away from him as quickly as possible. 

“I-I should go. The castle will be awaking soon…they’ll see I’m not in my room.”

Francis appeared hurt, “Oh. Yes…yes of course.” 

“But I really want to see you again,” Matthew quickly sputtered, trying to fix the damage he caused, “When can I see you again?”

The alpha thought it over, “Today, after tea. Meet me by the fountain here in the garden.” Matthew nodded his head several times, but he also stepped back. It was scary to think that his secret could be revealed so soon. The sun was rising over the castle gates, lighting up the tall white walls and reawakening the flowers. Francis watched Matthew go, running away from the golden rays of light. He slid back inside through the servant door, determined to sneak back into this bedchamber before he was caught. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The hours before tea became unbearable. Certainly, the few minutes spent sneaking back to his room, cleaning himself up and reapplying the his cologne before wakeup call was exciting, but it didn’t keep him attentive for long. Matthew tried to nap through it, knowing he should have gotten some rest, but he kept mentally replaying the night over and over again in his head. He thought of the looks the king had given him, his scent, and the way he said Matthew’s name. The frustration had him tossing and turning all morning until he gave up on sleep completely. Words on books blurred together in meaningless jabber. He didn’t get any further in his studies. The maids tsked at him for not eating his full lunch.

Arthur typically had tea around four in the afternoon. Alfred usually skipped it and Matthew was only invited when Arthur didn’t already have guests attending. The omega was actually relieved that Arthur was busy entertaining the other royalty, as he didn’t feel up to lying about what was on his mind. However, he was certain that they would harass Arthur about his wedding night and for that, Matthew pitied the queen. This brought another, unexpected worry to Matthew’s mind. 

If they were all there for Arthur’s wedding – and they were – that meant that soon everyone would be leaving the castle. Matthew’s hallway would be empty again. Francis would be gone. 

It stung. How frustrating it is to want someone to stay, especially when they had only met a day before. Matthew thought of the silver lining once again: he would get to spend more time with his new family once all of the guests were away. Times were peaceful in the Kingdom of Spades and so there would be plenty of downtime for the royals once this all had passed. For now, if he did feel a small spark with the golden king, then all he could do was enjoy the few moments they had together. 

Perhaps it was that type of thinking that had Matthew wondering the gardens several minutes early. He walked around the fountain twice before settling on lying across the wide edge of it. It was there, basking in the summer sun, that Matthew finally felt tired again. Staying up all night was not something the boy did often. Suddenly, the idea slipping back into a dark room for a nap sounded good, but he could ignore the impulse for a few hours while he was with Francis. The blond pulled his arm over his eyes. The sunshine was making him feel hot and irritated. It rained more often than not, but this summer was being particularly hot.

A familiar accented voice greeted him, “And I thought I would be here first.” Matthew smiled and removed his arm, glad that Francis hadn’t decided to sneak up on him for a third time. The king had dressed less flashy now, but it was still too much for Matthew’s tastes. He wore yellow pants with a white shirt that had a low v-neckline and a thin cape to fight off the sun. 

“I hadn’t anything better to do,” he insisted, sitting up. 

“Then perhaps you will join me,” the king said, “There is something I want to ask you.” The omega moved to stand and join him, but he did so too quickly and found his vision blurring. It began with one splotch of blackness, followed by another and another, until he couldn’t see anything at all. His foot missed the ground and he stumbled a bit. Unable to see or hear Francis calling him, he was relieved when he could feel the other catch him mid-fall. Matthew could smell him so clearly up close. It was over in an instant. His sight returned as quickly as it left. Francis had ahold of his arm and was patting his cheek.

“…a fever. You’ve been in the sun too long,” the omega caught him saying. Matthew found himself nodding in agreement, but it didn’t feel right. 

“Have you been drinking enough water?” Matthew didn’t respond. His body clenched, twisting in a way that was all too familiar. Matthew wrapped his arms around Francis’ midsection. At first he was trying to keep himself steady, but it was the musky, intoxicating scent that pulled him in closer. Francis could sense something was wrong. No, more than that, Francis could smell it. The cologne wouldn’t hide it any longer.

“Mathieu,” Francis cautioned, “You’re not a beta, are you?” Matthew shook his head, but it was pleasant. His body relaxed piece by piece, until he was completely at ease in the king’s presence. For all his previous fears and restrictions, Matthew couldn’t bring himself to be upset at that moment. He couldn’t bring himself to hate the tightening feeling between his legs. He couldn’t bring himself to hate the way he was acting. For the first time, the beginning of his heat didn’t seem so condemning. A shaking hand gripped his shoulder.

“Mathieu…Mathieu listen to me, we need to get you inside.” 

The younger man nodded his head. “I want to nest,” he told him, his voice a sweetened honey, “It’s too bright out here.” Francis moved his cape to wrap around the omega’s shoulders. It wouldn’t cover his scent completely, but it would mask it with the king’s own for the time being. If any other alpha caught on to the scent of a pure omega entering his heat, he could lose control. Matthew could get hurt, and that was the only thing on Francis’ mind while he tried to get Matthew to move faster. Together they got out of the gardens and returned to the same servant door Matthew had entered early that morning. The king threw it open, and looked around to find two servants walking down the hall. He called out to them.

“You! You two are beta’s right?” They approached him and the older of the two spoke up.

“My daughter here is, but I am an omega.”

“Good,” Francis pointed to the daughter, “Go to the queen and bring him here. Tell him that the King of Diamonds sent you and that it is an emergency. Run as fast as you can.” Francis turned to the mother. “And you, go clear this corridor of the castle immediately. Make sure all alphas are out of the area, then rush to the omega hall and prepare a nest for a lord right away.” Both women rushed down the hallway, determined to complete their missions. Francis kept an eye out for anyone who might cause them trouble, but he was distracted. Matthew was clinging to him and covering him in an addictive scent that brought his blood to a boil. Even with all of the special training that royal alphas were given, Francis was struggling not to give in to temptation. Especially when he could feel the bulge in the other’s pants pressing up against him through their clothing. With every ticking second Matthew was growing worse and all the king could do was pet his head and whisper promises of protection in his ears. 

When Arthur did finally arrive, he was out of breath and panting. He made Matthew look at him and didn’t need any further explanation.

“Matthew, darling, it will be alright. I’ve already sent for Alfred. We’re going to get you a nest. We’ll keep you safe, okay?” The response was only a whimper, and then Matthew turned to nuzzle his face back into the alpha.  
“Thank you,” Arthur offered Francis, “I know all royal alphas are trained to control themselves, but…thank you.” Francis let out a weak sigh as a response. It was difficult for either of the two royals to be polite to one another, but such times called for them to put their prides away. Even Arthur could see Francis struggling to contain himself, which was odd. For all their fights, Arthur had never seen the man lose control in such matters. Deciding it would be best to keep them apart, Arthur grabbed Matthew’s shoulders.

“I’ll take it from here,” the queen said, trying to pry Matthew off with no avail. Francis took a deep breath, and then got down to look Matthew straight in the eyes. He held the omega’s warm cheeks in the palms of his hands. 

“It’s the scent, isn’t Mathieu? You’ve never had one with you before, huh?” Matthew shook his head, and Francis murmured, “Here.” He untied his cloak and then moved it around the omega’s shoulders, “I’ve worn it all day so it smells like me. Keep it with you and it will help you get through the week.” The omega lifted the cloth to his nose and took a deep breath.

“I don’t want you to leave,” Matthew said in a haze, but the king hushed him.

“I promise, I will be here when you return.” Francis glanced to the queen. Matthew was so draining, but there was one final way to handle the situation. Arthur didn’t need an explanation; he gave Francis a nod of approval. The king pressed his forehead to Matthew’s and the omega felt a weird sensation roll over him.

“Mathieu,” the king demanded harshly, “I need you to go with Arthur. I need you to do exactly as he says and not put up a fight. Do you understand?” He didn’t, but he felt compelled to obey. Still looking at Francis, the omega reached to the side and took ahold of Arthur’s vest. The queen wrapped an arm around the boy’s shoulders and began leading him away before Francis’ influence could wear off. Matthew followed as he was told, but stared back the king the entire walk down the hallway. As they neared the corner, he could see the Francis fall against the wall in exhausted relief.  
Alfred showed up in the second hall. He began to greet them, but was cut off when the scent reached him. The king froze. As the two omega’s approached him, he turned away, covered his mouth and began to gag. 

“By the gods, why do you smell so awful?!” Arthur rolled his eyes.

“It’s because he’s your bother, you twit,” The queen groaned, “relatives don’t affect one another to prevent inbreeding. Why else would I let you help me out with this?”

“Hey, I can control myself!” Alfred shouted, before gagging for a second time. He followed behind the other two down the halls, keeping a hand over his nose and watching for anyone that could cause them trouble. Luckily, it appeared that the servants had done well in removing the alphas from the area. 

Usually, the omega rooms had an extra room attached for nesting to occur, but since Matthew had hidden his status, he was in a regular room with no such space. Instead, Arthur had to make do with what was available. He brought Matthew to the omega room closest to his own bedchambers. They left Alfred by the door and Arthur introduced the other omega to the small dark room that would be his new home for the week.

“I’ll have the one of the maids bring you the blankets from your own bed, but you’ll have to use these for now.” The queen gave him the blankets and pillows from the main part of the room. “You’ll have food delivered to you three times a day, and we’ll make sure you are protected from all else.” Matthew turned to look inside the dark room. It was larger than a closest, with enough space for him to stretch out, but not much larger than that. A second door inside would allow him to enter the bathroom that was also attached to the main bedroom. The bathroom was larger than the nesting room. There were no windows, and the light hanging off the ceiling was dim.

Another twisting in his loins forced another whimper from his lips. He brought the cape to his nose and took in a deep breath.

“I…I don’t want to be alone again,” He sobbed, but there was nothing Arthur could do. 

“It will be alright,” the queen assured, “You can get through this.”

“What about Francis?”

Arthur paused. He didn’t particularly like the idea of his new brother-in-law growing so attached to such a man, but omegas in heat very rarely listened to reason.

“You heard him…he’ll be here when you get out.” Matthew didn’t look satisfied.

“Come Matthew…don’t you want to make your nest?” At this, Matthew turned to look inside the room and nodded, his mind taken off the king for a few moments. He entered the room to arrange his new nest and the door slammed behind him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-Bonus-

After handling Matthew’s delicate situation, it was a relief to have a bath and relax in his new bed with his new husband. Arthur stretched out, from his feet to the tips of his fingers. Alfred sat beside him with his back up against the headboard. 

The king glanced down at his queen, “Arthur?”

“Mhmm?”

“Matthew was wearing a gold cape.” 

“…That’s right.”

“Where did he get it?” Arthur ran his fingers over the embroidery.

“Francis gave it to him…before he used his influence to convince Matthew to leave with me for safety.”

Alfred growled, “Francis used his alpha influence on my brother?” Arthur sighed and sat up straight to face his lover.  
“It was the only way to convince Matthew to leave with me…and the cape will help him get through the week.” Inside, Alfred was livid, imagining all the ways he could destroy the other alpha. His hands began to form into fists.

“I told him at the party when I stopped you…I told him to leave Matthew alone.” Arthur gave his husband a once over. He could have Alfred start a war knowing that he had given the alpha permission to use his influence. Deciding to distract his husband, the omega hooked his finger in the top of Alfred’s night shirt and pulled him forward. 

“I always loved watching you threaten Francis,” Arthur purred, “I can think of a better use of that energy.”

“Huh?...oh, _Ooh.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *They went to frickle frackle
> 
> Still several weeks later than what I wanted. Oh well.
> 
> The picture of Francis wrapping his cape around Matthew was the image that inspired the rest of this story. Expect sexiness in the next chapter.


	6. Dry Pot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit more nsfw. You won't miss too much if you skip it.

Heat: it was the perfect word for the piece of hell that omegas went through four times a year. It was not a burn, which pricks one part of the body if the victim was lucky. It covered their entire body. It is manageable when it first begins and only affects the feet or the tips of one’s fingers. But then it creeps in, up the arms and legs until it reaches the center of one’s core. Then omegas can feel the heat coming off their chest and it warms up their face more. Almost nothing can to cool them down, not water nor ice, only the company of a mate can quench it.

Then there is that twisting, tightening, teasing feeling that traveled between the thighs and lower abdomen. It is so powerful that the body even reacted during sleep, stretching out and grinding without proper permission. This could happen once or twice every other hour. However, there were horror stories of omegas whose bodies would never relax, causing them to writhe in frustration for days until they passed out from exhaustion.

Always scared of the unknown, the upper classes of society had a terrible habit of creating rooms to lock away the moaning beasts. Most lower classes enjoyed creating nests in the comfort of their own room, with blinds or furniture blocking out any light. Matthew had one of those, didn’t he? It was hard to focus on past memories. Violet eyes scanned around his room. It wasn’t as awful as he had imagined, but the blond supposed that it was because he was in the castle. He ran the back of his fingers up against the wallpaper, which felt rough under his touch.

How many days had it been?

Another twist, and Matthew had to pause in order to arch his bare back against the feeling. Moans meant to call out to a mate wouldn’t pass through the thick brick behind the wallpaper. A few minutes and the clouds fogging his mind drew back particularly once again. He panted, grimacing when he felt the slick that was sliding down against his thighs.

How many days had it been? He tried counting the number of meals brought to him by beta servants. Six, six meals which meant it was the second or third day. Matthew rolled his naked body over onto his stomach, whimpering and grinding into the comforter.

The maids had kept Arthur’s promise of providing Matthew with blankets from his previous bedroom. This was a kind gesture, because it allowed him to be surrounded in his own comforting scent. Matthew’s nest was not as tidy as one might expect. It began by piling comforters up until he could no longer feel the floor, then he lined the pillows up around the edge of the walls to keep his body from hitting the walls too hard. Sheets were the last layer Matthew added. He could cover himself with them, but they were not too heavy, unlike his clothing which he had ditched in the attached bathroom shortly after being locked in. 

There was, however, another piece of fabric in the room. Matthew reached for the golden cape and held it to his nose. It still held the same scent. When the omega has first caught Francis’ scent it was sweet and fresh, but this cape had been worn when the king was close to an omega in heat and held the musky bite of arousal. 

Matthew was grinding into the comforters in mere seconds. Even though he was only halfway through his heat, his cock was already sore from repeatedly using his own hand. He had tried multiple times to cum by fingering himself, but it was never enough. Although, with the image of the king fresh in his mind he felt his fingers inching their way down his neck and sides to the curve of his ass. He teased the opening, circling it twice before beginning to push through the tight slick ring of muscle. Would Francis keep teasing him like this? Or would he go mad with pheromones and push in roughly? The very thought was enough to make Matthew gasp out.   
Knock. Knock. Knock. Matthew panicked, pulling his fingers away from his hole to drag a sheet over his body. It was painful, his whole body aching from being so close to pleasure before being distracted. Worse, this wasn’t the usual knock that his beta maid had been using whenever she delivered food. Outside a voice called to him.

“Mathieu? Is this you? Are you decent?” Matthew responded that yes, he was covered, but his voice was horse from moaning. The door cracked open and in peered a dark skinned woman with beautiful brown hair in pony tails. She was dressed simply, in a light blue dress and a small matching cape with flat shoes. The girl must have been a few years his junior. 

“I am a beta,” she cautioned, reaching her arm in to allow Matthew to smell her. Indeed, she was. Matthew tried to ask about her intrusion, but his throat was so sore that he could only cough. Rushed, the girl reached behind her and returned with a glass bottle of water. She entered his nest and pressed the bottle to his lips. It was refreshing, cool to the touch, and gave the omega a rush of relief.

“Thank you,” Matthew sighed through wet lips. 

“I hear it is difficult to go through this without a mate. There is no one to take care of you.” The girl looked around at the messy, stained nest and the poor boy who rested in the middle of it all. How awful, to be locked away like this for days at a time. But allowing a stranger into one’s nest was not usually an acceptable occurrence. With no protection, it left Matthew on edge. 

“Who are you?”

“My name is Michelle. I am a humble servant to the king of diamonds.” Matthew’s eyes grew wide with new interest.

“Does he send word?”

“He sends more than words.” Michelle turned and reached back out of the door to pull in a wrapped basket of gifts, topped with a bow. “He wishes you to be taken care of.” This present left Matthew on the fence. Usually bringing gifts to an omega’s nest was a courting or mating offering and the alpha usually did so before the omega went into heat. Did it still mean that if Francis had used a third party to deliver them? What red flags would be raised should his brother discover the other king had done such a thing?

“Who knows of this?” Michelle smiled warmly.

“No one,” she promised, “Do not fear, this is not meant as an offering. My lord is worried for your comfort.” Halfway through her speech, Matthew arched again. He let out a pathetic whimper when an image of blue eyes flashed behind his closed eyes. The girl looked like she was ready to jump to his aid once again, but Matthew held his open palm up to her.

“P-please…do not stay long…this is humiliating,” he panted, trying to fight off the fog, “I can’t fight my urges.” Understanding, Michelle nodded her head and moved to leave him as quickly as possible. Matthew was grateful, especially when a shiver went up his spine. He would be forced to get himself off soon, but he wanted to find out what Francis had gotten for him. Panting, he reached out to rip the plastic off of his gift. Inside there was another bottle of water, half frozen. There was another blanket, the softest the omega had ever felt. He found chocolates and salted biscuit sticks. A small bottle held a liquid that smelled of flowers, of fuchsias and violets, of being outside. He replaced the lid on the bottle. 

There didn’t seem to be any note, much to Matthew’s disappointment, but his eyes landed on something in the bottom of the basket. Whatever it was, there was cloth wrapped around it several times. Beginning to undo the roll, another scent it the omega. It was not dissimilar to the cape the king had given up, but it was stronger. The pheromones on it had Matthew’s eyes rolling to the back of his head. He undid the roll completely, in order to get more of it, but he was taken off guard by what the cloth was wrapped around.  
Certainly, these things were around, but they were not spoken of or encouraged. Matthew stared down at the long, smooth object. The very idea brought a blush to his face. 

“What the hell was he thinking?” Single omegas with sex toys were the topic of much gossip these days. Some say it stretches them out and ruins them. Others say that it might get the horny things to settle down and get some relief. The hand that held the cloth returned to his face and Matthew’s cock twitched when he took a deep breath. It had such a strong musk, with none of the usual sweetness that Francis carried. His eyes remained on the toy. 

“Perhaps,” he thought aloud, “it wouldn’t be so bad…just once…to know what it would be like.” Matthew lay back down on the blankets with the cloth held up to his face. He dropped the dildo on the side and let the heat fog his mind. Within seconds, the blond had relaxed enough to picture Francis again. He pictured him petting his hair…nuzzling his cheek…teasingly sliding fingers up Matthew’s length. It was not right to picture such things about someone one had only just met. Michelle had stated it herself, this gift was not a courting offer. But that is the wonderful thing about fantasies: no one ever found out what you pictured. 

Getting himself in position, Matthew shoved his face into the cloth. Instinct was kicking in. He scraped his nails all the way down his sides, feeling the bumps of his ribs. Nails continued marking a path over the cheeks of his ass before pulling them apart. He always got a little rough on himself when he was this desperate. Slick poured down, creating another stain on the nest. It had been too long and desperation made the omega careless with his prep work. His fingers pumped mercilessly, scissoring repeatedly. He sucked in the scent of alpha pheromones and musk. He whimpered and pleaded and rolled his hips to meet each pump of his wrist. Still, it didn’t feel like enough. 

Violet pupils landed on the toy once again. Matthew bit his lip and in a moment of boldness, he grabbed for it. He rolled back over onto his back and teased his opening with the rounded tip before pushing in.

At first, the toy only made his body burn hotter. It stung and stretched his body out. Nearly halfway in, Matthew wondered if he would be able to fit it in all the way, but that’s when it got good. The toy itself was curved slightly, and when it began to change direction inside of him, the pleasure hit. Moans bounced off the wall, and soon Matthew was learning all sorts of new things about his body. He learned how deep he could go. He learned to feel the entire length while he was fucked. He learned how to aim right for his prostate and how far his back could arch.

He learned how Francis’ name felt on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because this chapter is so short, I will be posting another in just a few minutes.


	7. Exposed Card

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins after Matthew's heat passes. It is also a very short chapter, so I hope posting two is enough to sate you all for a few days while I get on chapter 8.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Alfred yelled, fists slamming down on the wooden table which was covered in loose scrolls. The king’s hair stuck out, he stood taller, and made himself as large and dominating as possible. His eyebrows drew together in frustration. Matthew sat on the opposing side of the table, ashamed of himself. He knew it would only be a matter of time before this talk was had, but he hadn’t imagined Alfred had grown up to be so powerful when angry. 

The third man in the room was the royal jack, an older beta by the name of Yao. He stood at the side of the table, where he could keep an eye on the brothers, but stayed several steps back near the wall. It didn’t appear that he would be coming to Matthew’s aid any time soon.

The king continued to yell, “Did you think you could hide this forever? Do you have any idea how illegal that was?”

“I know hiding my status is illegal,” Matthew admitted.

“Oh no, there is far more than that,” the king cautioned, looking around until he found the piece of paper he was looking for. He picked it up and began pacing around the room while reading it out loud. “One account of an unbred omega traveling the country without an escort, one account of an unbred omega in heat in outdoor setting,” Alfred’s free hand was moving as he read the list now, and he would pause in between to shoot Matthew a look, “And several accounts of lying to royals and the upper class, with a possible motive to avoid a marriage that could create loyal ties and monetary advances for our kingdom.”

“That last one is not illegal,” Matthew said through gritted teeth, “The rich are always lying to one another.” Alfred tossed the paper down on the table.

“They are calling it treason. By avoiding such an outcome you are hurting me. If you were any less than my brother, they would have your head for this.” Matthew let out a low growl before standing to his feet. 

“Would that be any worse?! Do you hear yourself, Alfred? Escorts? Arranged marriage? I might as well be dead! I don’t want any of those things and no one can make me!” Alfred growled back, but it was louder than his brother’s. In a moment of fury, the king reached down, gripped the edge of the table, and tossed it to the side. Papers flew aimlessly around them. The brothers stood face-to-face, both furious from the situation. 

“I am your alpha!”

“What are you talking about?!”

“I am your king! I am the only surviving alpha in our family! And I will be head of our family until you are mated with someone I deem suitable! Until then, you will obey my orders or be punished for your--!”

“Alfred,” a calm voice cut in. Yao stepped up, placing a hand on his king’s shoulder and pulling him back from the omega gently, “Being away from Arthur is making you aggressive…Return to your husband – surely he needs you by now – and let me speak to Matthew.” Alfred turned his head to the side and hissed. There was a pregnant pause in the room and Matthew wondered if Alfred would choose to keep fighting over helping his queen. 

“It’s been nearly an hour,” the king replied, “You’re right. I can’t stay out any longer.” Alfred ran his fingers through his messy hair. “Matt…we’ll discuss this at a later date.” And just like that, he was gone. Matthew let out a long sigh of relief before plopping back down in his chair. It wasn’t that he was unable to fight, he just wasn’t used to it. It wasn’t in an omega’s nature, it wasn’t something he enjoyed. It was even less enjoyable with his brother. 

“He wasn’t angry when I first went into heat,” Matthew thought aloud, “Nobody was.”

“Your safety was the main concern,” Yao replied. The jack picked up the table, sitting it down straight, and then proceeded to collect the spilled paper. How very much like a beta to clean up an omega’s and alpha’s mess. 

“Where is Arthur,” the omega asked.

“The wedding was planned around my highness’ heat cycle. It was a bit later than expected, but the queen finally went into nesting yesterday afternoon. This was the first time Alfred has left him since.”

“Oh…” Yao flipped through the pages until he found the right one to place in front of Matthew.

“What’s this?”

“A contract,” Yao announced, stepping up next to him, “To avoid legal obligations, we are prepared to make a statement. This states that we believe that, considering your situation upon your arrival, as you had no relatives or assets to afford an escort, hiding your status was necessary for your own safety. In exchange for agreeing to follow your brother’s commands as the head of your household, the legal heads are willing to overlook your…mistakes.” Matthew pouted. This was exactly what the omega wanted to avoid in the first place. 

“And if I don’t agree to this deal?”

“Then you’ll be put to death within a week.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Well, I’m sure the king could bargain for a dungeon sentence.” Matthew bit his lip. There wasn’t really any other option for him, but that didn’t make signing the agreement any easier.

“Matthew,” Yao worried, “You have proved your strength. You stood up to the king of our country for heaven’s sake…but don’t give up your life over pride. You just got your brother back. You have plenty to live for. Even alphas fear death.” He was right. Matthew always knew he would lose this part of the fight. With no other choice, he signed the contract. Everything would be out of his control now, and he could do nothing except make the best of it.

“Excellent,” Yao congratulated, taking the contract away from him, “Did you remember to bring the perfume you were using.” Matthew nodded and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a decent sized bottle with a spray attachment, but the liquid inside was nearing empty.

“Is that all you have left?”

“Yes, my mentor provided it to me. That was all he had left when I suddenly needed to leave town to come here.” With the fake scent handed over to the jack, it was examined carefully before Yao smashed it on the floor. Matthew watched the perfume soak into the wood floors around the broken shards of glass. 

“What now?” Matthew asked.

“Well, luckily Alfred and Arthur will…be busy for quite some time…which means we have a small head start for classes.”

“Classes?”

“Yes, it has come to my attention that since you have chosen to hide your status, you are not well practiced in omega etiquette. Now, with everyone watching to see what becomes of you, it is important that we teach you how to act properly.” Yao must have seen the look on Matthew’s face because he chose to keep speaking. “You don’t have to be any less independent or strong…but there are some things you should be practiced in. You should understand your own reactions. You should know what you’re feeling. Look at yourself, Matthew, you still do not look well even though your heat finished yesterday. Clearly, you haven’t been able to get what you need during that important time. We will focus on things like that.” Matthew signed and leaned his elbows on the table, hiding his face in his hands. The whole situation sounded awful. He should be studying geography, history, and art, not etiquette and mating rituals.

The blond grumbled, “then what?”

“Then…Alfred will likely be under pressure to put you out there. Usually royal or high-end omegas are presented during a party after they are of age. You’re a year or two late, but you were also not here so it will be alright. Afterwards…alphas will make offers and Alfred will choose the most valuable deal.”

“They won’t even be making their mating offers towards me,” Matthew stressed, “I’ll be handed over to the highest bidder with no say in the matter.” Yao didn’t respond at first. He pitied the young man, but there was no sugar coating the situation. Omegas didn’t have the same rights as their counterparts, especially within castle walls where treaties could be made over a wedding proposal. Surely Alfred would not be so cruel to pick a bad mate for his brother, though Yao doubted it would make the situation much better to say so out loud. Trying to think of a way to cheer the omega up, he changed the subject.

“You know…it seems like you’ve started the whole castle off. It’s not just the queen, but several of our staff have gone into heat as well. We’re horribly under staffed. I could really use your help…I haven’t a clue who will take King Francis his dinner this evening.”   
Matthew peered at the jack curiously, “The king is still here?”

“He requested a longer stay, but Alfred has politely asked him to leave sooner. His ship sails out in the morning.” Yao and Matthew locked eyes for a moment before Matthew finally caved. 

“Thank you…” The jack smiled.

“You can find his tray in the kitchen shortly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't make the last chapter too explicit because I wanted there to be something left to the imagination. 
> 
> I've come up with a list of things I would like Yao to teach Matthew, but I wanted to know if there was anything you - the readers - wanted to see?


End file.
